Sesshōmaru
500 InuYasha Profiles, page 161 |status=Traveling |species=Dog Daiyōkai |gender=Male |height=185.42 cm (6'1") |weight=76 kg (167.6 lbs) |eyes=Gold |hair=Silver |skin=Fair |family=*Inu no Taishō *Mother *Inuyasha *Kagome Higurashi |weapons=Tenseiga, Bakusaiga, Tokijin, Poison, Claws |techniques= |abilities=Flight, Superhuman olfactory senses, Superhuman strength Inuyasha profiles page 162 and fairly tall and lean-built. He was light-skinned with pointy ears, golden amber eyes and knee-length silver hair with short bangs. He has a Prussian blue crescent moon on his forehead that can be seen beneath his bangs. There are two magenta stripes on each cheek and on the sides of his wrists, as well as one magenta stripe on each of his eye lids. However, when he regained his left arm, the magenta stripes are not there. Most of the time, Sesshōmaru appeared in this form. ;True form Sesshōmaru's true form is a giant white dog with markings similar to the ones he has in his human form. He transforms surrounded in a bright red/pink aura or has a tornado circling around him. His sclera becomes red, and the pupils blue; the yōkai marks on his body widen and become more apparent the stripes on his cheeks which are usually smooth become jagged and change into a somewhat fiercer color. He has acidic saliva, so when he breathes out, he spreads poison in the form of mist, melting anything nearby. He only fully transforms to his original form three times: during a battle with Inuyasha which results in the loss of his left arm , when he meets his mother , and during the battle against Magatsuhi which eventually leads to his arm regenerating and the formation of his sword Bakusaiga. Outfit Sesshōmaru's armor includes a spiked pauldron that covers his left shoulder attached to the upper section of his cuirass. When damaged, his armor automatically regenerates itself using yōki.InuYasha Profiles, page ?? Both his armor and his long flowing sash have a decided Chinese influence, as opposed to the customary Japanese armor and sash. His Kimono is mostly white with a red and whiteNote: It is red in the anime. cherry blossom flower crest at the collar and sleeves,showing that he is of royal birth. He wears Sashinuki Hakama, (a type of traditional flowing Japanese pants), which are gathered at the ankles producing the "ballooning" effect. His footwear consists of flat pointed ankle-high boots (instead of sandals), also reminiscent of Mainland influence. The left side of his collar features the crest of the Azai clan.On his right shoulder is a white object that appears to have a fluffy appearance. It is his mokomoko. It give him defense and constrict people. It is, in fact, part of his body (as you can see it bleeds). Personality Sesshōmaru, born of a great demon bloodline, possesses the perfect power that many demons desire. Because of this he is always composed and confident in his power. His air of aloofness and indifference is a product of dignity that only one of such rare demon power may possess. Sesshōmaru is more or less emotionless, only anger, annoyance, and dissatisfaction showing on his face. Because both his heart and body are so strong, he had no desire whatsoever for the Shikon Jewel. He had absolute confidence in his power, so he did not need the Shikon Jewel and doesn't have to conspire with allies. Sesshōmaru even responded sarcastically towards Naraku, who had assumed an air of impudence due to his increased demon power. In battle he judged his enemy's power level and attacked with the minimum power necessary. He dealt with his enemies after determining their power. Once he had realized their weak point, their attacks were futile. Sesshōmaru is obsessively proud of his father Inu no Taishō, of whom the whole demon world was in awe. Because he respects his bloodline so much, he despises Inuyasha as well as Inuyasha's human mother Izayoi. He insults Naraku, who tried to take advantage of Sesshōmaru's power. All that his father left him was a dull sword that wouldn't cut anything. Anger welled up in his heart for not being able to use Tenseiga, which was left by his father, whom he highly respects. Sesshōmaru held resentment towards his father for having left Tessaiga to Inuyasha, whose power was weaker than his own. However, over time, Sesshōmaru comes to grasp why his father gave him Tenseiga and lets go of his disgust towards his half-brother, even showing concern for him in rare moments. He was also secretly angry that Naraku, who was assembled by demons far lower in level than Sesshōmaru, used abusive language and disrespect towards him. Sesshōmaru had stated that he seeks to only fight the strongest beings alive and how he had wanted to fight his father and defeat him. Sesshōmaru felt nothing for others, sneering and dismissing humane feelings. Anyone in his way is an enemy whom he will exterminate without hesitation. He does not hold back his power, even against women. He rationalizes that all his prey is the same and defeats them accordingly. For one with such pride in his power, cooperation is proof of weakness and being alone is a condition for the strong. Once he judges someone as a obstacle, he is quick to kill without hesitation. He used to feel nothing for anyone, but meeting various people, such as the ever-changing Inuyasha, Naraku with his numerous proposals, and all-alone Rin had brought change to his heart. After he saved Rin and became a true owner of Tenseiga, he started to show feelings behind his heartless and cruel words. He stopped the demonic Inuyasha's wildness by controlling his power and he looked at him like an older brother reprimanding a younger brother, though claimed he would kill Inuyasha despite his actions showing the opposite. He even refrained from killing Kohaku when he could easily do so, when he looked in his eyes and saw emptiness and that he had given up everything. Sesshōmaru has a very inquiring mind when there is something he cares about, but at the same time, he had almost no tenacity of purpose. If he becomes interested into something else, he will arbitrarily turn his back on what he's doing, even during battle.He asked around about Inuyasha and Naraku but decied to keep an objective position,also He is not greedy and is quick to quit doing something. Just like his fighting style, he is quick to make decisions and act on then immediately. The encounter with Rin awakened him as the true user of Tenseiga. The smile and fleeting life of this young girl who tried to save him caused Sesshōmaru to change for the first time. The will of his father, who cared for humans, has finally been passed to his oldest son. Sesshōmaru used to leave anything behind that might bind him but he has slowly but surely changed. Sesshōmaru genuinely cares about Rin and Jaken and while he rarely shows it, he does appreciate their loyalty. Sesshōmaru originally held much contempt towards protecting the weak, seeing it as a waste of time and ridiculous. Unlike Inu no Taishō and Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru has trouble admitting he had people to protect(Rin and Jaken) and out of pride, would never admit that he does as Sword of An Honerable Ruler showed. Another trait of Sesshōmaru is one he shares with his younger brother. Both have tempers and are very easy to annoy(Inuyasha being loud in his anger, Sesshōmaru being subtle) as he has been known to hit Jaken when he says something that displeases him, similar to how Inuyasha is with Shippō. Growing Compassion Sesshōmaru, who previously was a cold-hearted, arrogant, and extremely powerful daiyōkai was humbled by his "worthless half-breed" brother, Inuyasha, who used the sword to cut off his left arm. In another incident, Sesshōmaru had used his poison claws against Inuyasha, temporarily blinding him. Having sensed the clashing of the two yoki, Inuyasha unknowingly used the Wind Scar against Sesshōmaru. The Tenseiga prevented a possible fatality and transported the daiyokai's battered body. Sesshōmaru quickly rested for the time-being in a forest near a village, where he first met the orphan girl, Rin. He was cared for by Rin during his rehabilitation from injury. He was initially hostile to the mute girl, who offered him food, by refusing to eat and telling her to "mind her own business." However, the little child continued to serve him. Once he recovered, he set off with Jaken, but he sensed Rin's blood scent when she was attacked and mauled by Kōga's wolves; he used Tenseiga to resurrect her, whereupon she began to follow him. This incident proved to be the turning point in his life as it dramatically transformed his attitude towards everyone else. This was apparent when Rin was seen wearing new and colorful kimono later. When Rin falls off to the cliff in the process of getting life-saving herbs for Jaken, Sesshōmaru comes in a bolt of light to save her after she called out his name. In Forever With Lord Sesshomaru's episode (anime special), After Sesshomaru saves Rin, he ask Rin to do what she wishes. This is not at all typical of Sesshōmaru, as he was usually shown to leave Jaken at times before he met Rin. Jaken is even shown to be mumbling that "Lord Sesshōmaru will kill him if something happens to Rin," obviously showing his concern for the girl's safety as some what of a father. Sesshōmaru, while fighting Jakotsu, rushes off to rescue Rin, who fell when the bridge broke. Jakotsu notes that Rin is Sesshōmaru's weak point. Exploiting this fact, Suikotsu and Jakotsu threatens to kill Rin when they are cornered. Sesshōmaru even saves Kohaku, Rin's best friend and protector, who was under Naraku's control, under the behest of Inuyasha and his friends. These are some of the many traces of compassion that Sesshōmaru displays. Sesshōmaru's compassion for Rin is evident, but he prefers to disguise it, because it would taint his pride. However, he shows his love and concern for Rin when she appears to be dead due to her time in Hell. Sesshōmaru enters Hell for the purpose of rescuing her, but upon learning that he cannot save her life, he is crushed. When he realizes that it was his urge to strengthen Tenseiga which brought them to Hell and ultimately killed her, he casts the sword aside and says that for the sword to gain power at the expense of Rin's life means nothing. However, when Sesshōmaru's mother revives Rin, he is seems to be relieved. Finally the will of his father, who cared for humans, has been passed to his son. ]] When Kagura was injured, Sesshōmaru originally intended to leave her in the river she was drowning in, but when Rin falls in trying to save her and Jaken follows Rin, Sesshōmaru pulls all three from the river. Later however, before Kagura's death, Sesshōmaru seeks her out and considers using the Tenseiga, only to conclude that Tenseiga cannot save her. He has also been shown saving Inuyasha's friends on several occasions. On his way to Hakurei-zan, Sesshōmaru saves Kagome, Miroku, and Sango from the poison master Mukotsu, one of the Shichinintai but only claims that he killed Mukotsu because he would not answer his questions. He also revives a young otter yōkai's father, claiming that it was the will of Tenseiga. Another example is when Inuyasha and his companions are involved in a fight with the "water god" Numawatari: when Sesshōmaru arrives, he insults Inuyasha's inability to kill a "low life yōkai," and then easily dispatches Numawatari using his Meido Zangetsuha ability, leaving straight after. Also, when Byakuya, Naraku's newest incarnation, is about to take Kohaku, who had one of the last three shards of the Shikon Jewel, back to Naraku, Sesshōmaru appears and launches a ranged Meidou-Zangetsuha (still in the crescent moon shape), barely missing him. Byakuya flees, claiming that he does not want to die, and comments on how it is so unlike Sesshōmaru to save someone. Thereafter, Sesshōmaru seems to have taken Kohaku under his protection, albeit in his typical grudging demon-slayer fashion. Later, when Kohaku's shard gets tainted by Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru attempts to save Kohaku at the expense of great injury to his arm. It is his compassion that caused the Tenseiga to be reforged as a weapon. Its offensive powers were locked until Sesshōmaru was able to show true compassion. In battle with Moryomaru, the villain insulted the deceased Kagura, which angers Sesshōmaru and he shatters Mōryōmaru's indestructible shell (and his only weapon in the process). Acknowledging the yōkai's growth because he is defending a dead person, Tenseiga called to its creator to reforge it as a weapon. Later, to show his compassion and respect for his father, he gave the offensive powers of his sword to Inuyasha (albeit in his typical fashion) in accordance with his father's wishes and recognizing his brother's worth as the heir to the sword. He refused to use Bakusaiga on Inuyasha when even Magatsuhi noted it was the obvious choice to make and in the third movie "Swords of an Honorable Ruler" it is hinted that he actually does care about Inuyasha but refuses to admit it when he is protecting him from the Sounga's "Dragon Twister" attack. Despite his growing compassion, he, like his brother, uses impolite Japanese. He addresses strangers or people he does not like with "kisama," which, like "temee," is an offensive form of "you," though still more formal. He addresses himself with the polite "watashi", signifying his high rank and power. Other than "kisama," he uses "omae," either to Jaken or to Inuyasha, the latter being occasionally and not rarely. Thus, he can be insulting while retaining the dignified speech pattern of a lord, as opposed to the rougher speech used by Inuyasha. Powers and Abilities As a full blooded demon, Sesshōmaru is overwhelmingly powerful, being a match for any opponent he encounters. He has exhibited senses much more powerful than that of humans and even many demons and a plethora of powerful techniques at his disposal. Many of Sesshōmaru's innate abilities are a result of his lineage, being the son of two extremely powerful demons. Naraku has referred to Sesshōmaru as "the perfect demon"; the natural 'completion' of Sesshōmaru's demonic aura may be the reason why the Shikon Jewel appears to have no effect on his demonic abilities, and thus would explain why he has no interest in obtaining its shards. In contrast, nearly every other sentient demon, save those affiliated with Sesshōmaru's father in some way, seek its power relentlessly. Attacks *'Dokkasō' (毒華爪, Toxic Luster Claw): Sesshōmaru's claws release deadly acidic poison which can melt or rot flesh and virtually anything else very quickly and he can also spray the poison from his claws. They can fire large blades of energy similar to Inuyasha's "Sankon Tesso". He is also shown to transfer poison into his punches. As he did so with Inuyasha, thus blinding him. *'Poison Whip': It is only in the anime, Sesshōmaru can generate a thin, whip-like strand of yellow-green energy from his fingertips that can slice through almost anything.InuYasha anime; Episode 5 The whip also displays characteristics of poison akin to the burning effect it has on contact. It is used often in combat not only as a weapon, but at a utility tool as well. The whip can extend great distances and retrieve people or objects in motion. It can also puncture armor and human flesh with intense energy similar to a projectile. And it has often aided Sesshōmaru in the place of his missing arm. The first time Sesshōmaru used this attack (by spinning like a top to make the whip shred his foes apart) is often considered mimetic due to it looking rather feminine and out-of-character for him. *'Sōryūha' (蒼龍破, Pale Dragon Blast) Dragon Strike in the English Dub: It is his signature move but it is mainly seen in the movies (three times in the third and twice in the fourth). Its strength is comparable, if not greater, to his brother's Bakuryūha. The Dragon Strike takes on the form of a dragon-like lighting by Sesshōmaru waving his sword in the air and from there it takes form. He can also put in the ground which allows him break an enemy's barrier. Unlike the Wind Scar or Backlash Wave, however, this attack is born of Sesshōmaru's own power rather than that of a sword, as he is seen using it with both the Tōkijin and Tenseiga in the third movie. In the second episode of Inuyasha: The Final Act, Sesshōmaru used the Dragon Strike on Mōryōmaru with the Tōkijin at point blank range. *'Mokomoko': The white fluff on Sesshōmaru's shoulder can be extended to great lengths and used to whip, or to constrict people. Sesshōmaru used the Mokomoko to fling Inuyasha around in their father's grave. During an interview with Rumiko Takahashi (the creator of Inuyasha) she revealed that she drew it to look like a boa, but she drew it too big. After a while, she thought it looked fine, so she left it like that. It has also been shown bleeding, after Sesshōmaru attacked Jakotsu head-on. In Inuyasha profiles book Rumiko Takahashi stated that it is in fact a part of his body .InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island Jaken has been seen clinging to it whenever Sesshōmaru takes flight. Powers *'Flight': Sesshōmaru has the ability to float in the sky; however, in the anime, he can sometimes ride upon a sparkling dust cloud. The latter method of flight enables him to bring others along with him while flying by riding the cloud along with him. *'Immunity': Sesshōmaru is immune to diseases, poisons, and gases that can paralyze or kill both humans and other normal creatures as well as weaker yōkai. His greatest resistance seems to be toward holy and divine powers; his resistance to purification powers was so strong that he was able to enter Mt. Hakurei's purification barrier, by far the strongest of its type in the series, without being purified. He was somewhat weakened, however, though not significantly so, and it negated his sword's powers. In another instance, Sesshōmaru catches one of Kagome's purification arrows barehanded and to no ill-effect; (in the manga) any other demon would have been severely injured, if not outright purified. Monks who try to purify him to 'save' Rin are totally ineffective, (special anime episode) and Sesshōmaru's yōki destroys their relics merely by being released. It seems that the only mystical powers that Sesshōmaru is not resistant to is yōki such as Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu. Another example of his strong body is seen in Naraku's inability to absorb him. Because of Sesshōmaru's demonic purity, his aura emanates around his body in perfect "completion", making it almost impossible to compromise. Inuyasha states that human attacks will not harm Sesshōmaru, and true to this, none ever have; barring one incident in Mt. Hakurei, which is excusable because of the barrier. Thus far, the only damage he has sustained throughout the series has been from yōki-powered attacks. Even Inuyasha was lucky cutting Sesshōmaru's arm . And giving him a punch in the stomach. when Sesshōmaru was distracted by Kagome. But soon recovered, and swung Inuyasha towards Kagome. *'Super Endurance': Sesshōmaru is able to resist pain better than most demons. Sesshōmaru has shown general fatigue as his power had diminished near the end of the third movie, but it is still only speculation whether Sesshōmaru can even experience the sensation of pain at all. *He might react slightly startled or in shock. Especially at the times Inuyasha manages to punch him or even touch him. *'Super Speed': Sesshōmaru can move faster than the eye can see, both on land and through the air. He leaves behind a fast-moving blur and in some cases, after-images. He can also instantaneously close long distances without being detected by others. He is capable of moving so fast that he can decapitate an entire army of samurai without they even having time to react. *'Super Strength': Sesshōmaru possesses physical strength far beyond that of a normal demon; he was able to easily lift InuYasha by the throat into the air with one hand in one of their earlier encounters. In addition, Sesshōmaru was seen carrying the boulder-sized demon head of Goshinki in one hand with little to no effort. He has Herculean strength, even with only one arm; his strength with only one arm is equal to Inuyasha's full strength; Inuyasha's strength allows him to lift a 9 to 10 ton boulder using one arm with little effort, so Sesshōmaru would naturally be capable of lifting double that or far more with the same amount of effort.InuYasha Profiles, page ?? *'Senses': Due to his lineage, Sesshōmaru exhibits extremely heightened senses, particularly his sense of smell. He can discern characteristics of most objects through scent, such as the undead Band of Seven through the scent of graveyard soil and pure-demon blood from half-demon blood (such as when InuYasha's demon blood takes over). Through smell alone, Sesshōmaru can follow events transpiring far away or which have already transpired; for example, he learned of everything that had happened during Inuyasha's confrontation with Goshinki by simply sniffing the area in which they fought at least several hours, if not days, after the battle. Besides the five basic senses, Sesshōmaru's ability in sensing other's auras are exceptional. *'Exceptional Reflexes': Sesshōmaru, with his heightened senses, also possesses astonishing reflexes, as shown when he was battling Jakotsu; he managed to deflect the latter snake-like sword at the very last second with Tōkijin and even hurl it back in front of Jakotsu himself. Sesshōmaru has also shown to have extremely fast reactions when he was surrounded by an army of men with rifle guns which he was able to deflected every bullet shot at him simultaneously at the men firing them. *'Intelligence': Despite his vast overall intelligence, Rumiko Takahashi reveals that his intellect is actually one of his weakest points (despite it being considerably high, it pales in comparison to his other capabilities). With this attribute, he was able to correctly deduce that Magatsuhi can be slain with Tenseiga. Only being wrong once, in the 3rd InuYasha movie, Sesshōmaru cut Takemaru in half with Tenseiga, but because of So'unga's ability to bring back the living dead, it did not work. *'Teleportation': Sesshōmaru can morph into a ball of energy and move himself, as well as others,over great distances in a short amount of time.InuYasha anime; Episode 96 *'Psionics': Though Sesshōmaru's psionic capabilities have never been specifically quantified, he has demonstrated exceptionally strong and powerful feats of both telepathy and telekinesis. Examples being his ability to levitate and toss skulls at Inuyasha and Kagome through telekinesis , and the ability to telepathically overcome Tōkijin's telepathic aura. *'Daiyōkai': As the son of a daiyōkai, Sesshōmaru has inherited similar levels of power and thus is a daiyōkai in his own right — endowed with heightened senses, intelligence, strength, and a myriad of yōkai powers. While he appears to be an elf-eared human bearing splendid clothing and armor most of the time; he can transform into his true form at will, which is that of a gigantic, acid-breathing, crimson eyed, canine with white fur. With the acquisition of Bakusaiga, Totosai has stated that Sesshōmaru has exceeded his father as a daiyōkai. *'Immortality': Being a yōkai, Sesshōmaru does not suffer from old age the way humans do. He appears to be around 19 to 20 years old. However, he has been around for at least over two hundred years. In the third movie, Swords of an Honorable Ruler, a flashback from the day Inuyasha was born - 200 years prior to the Sengoku Jidai - shows Sesshōmaru as, physically, only a few years younger than his current appearance (with considerably shorter hair and different Kimono and sash). This suggests that Sesshōmaru could easily be over 400 years old or likely even 500 years old. But since the movies and specials are non canon. He could be along the lines of 200 years. In an interview Rumiko said that Sesshōmaru is more than years old. *'Regeneration': During his battle with Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru's right arm was badly injured. By beginning to transform into his daiyōkai form, the pure fighting spirit and eminence output of his demonic aura allowed Sesshōmaru to completely regenerate the injuries to his right arm. In the same battle, he is also able to restore his left arm, which is cut off by InuYasha at the beginning of the series. Sesshōmaru's body is in a continuous state of regeneration while posessing the Tenseiga. Sesshōmaru was impaled also but was still able to recover instantly. *'Yoki Release': During Sesshōmaru's second battle with Kyura (one of the four war gods), the war god shot fire at Sesshōmaru which then spiraled around him like a vortex and then being compromised by white energy emerging from Sesshōmaru, destroying the fire. This is also shown when Sesshōmaru first picked up the Tōkijin. His Yoki was able to completely overtake and suppress the swords demonic aura with little effort, even when the demon sword smith Totosai said that it was impossible. This has led many to speculate that the demon sword Sounga would have also fallen under Sesshōmaru's power. * Hand to Hand Combatant: Although rarely engaging in barehanded combat, Sesshōmaru demonstrated highly capable skill in it. During various scuffles with Inuysha, Sesshōmaru was able to easily counter his brother's wild strikes and find an opening to quickly pummel him. He was also able to easily knock Inuyasha to the ground at the Demon Lord's Grave. * Swordsmanship: Even with swords new to his possession, Sesshōmaru was able to quickly adept to their unique shape and powers to effectively use them in battle. In meelee combat, he showed superb skill in his ability to fend off and strike down opponents with deadly speed and accuracy in his attacks. He is also able to effectively block projectiles with his blade. Weapons Tenseiga The Tenseiga is a sword that can revive the dead. It does this by letting Sesshōmaru see the pall-bearer imps that take away the souls of the dead so that he may destroy them with Tenseiga. In extreme cases, the Tenseiga also protects Sesshōmaru from potentially lethal attacks. When in use, the Tenseiga has a blue aura. Later in the manga, the Tenseiga is reforged by Tōtōsai to become a weapon, allowing Sesshōmaru to use the Meidō Zangetsuha. It is later revealed that the ability and the sword itself is merely a cast off of the Tessaiga; his father wanted Sesshōmaru to master the Meidō Zangetsuha. Sesshōmaru becomes quite angered because of this,but eventually Sesshōmaru discards the sword as his father wished, giving the ability back to the Tessaiga and making the Tenseiga only a healing sword once again. Tōkijin Tōkijin ''' was a sword crafted by the evil sword smith Kaijinbo from the fangs of Goshinki as part of Sesshōmaru's continued efforts to obtain Tessaiga or a sword matching it in power. It can fire off extremely powerful blasts of pure evil energy, but because it is filled with Goshinki's malice, only Sesshōmaru can wield it without being controlled by it. Tōkijin can be used to blow back and injure an enemy with a powerful pinkish-purple aura, generated as the manifestation of pure hatred. It can also be used to slash at an opponent either directly or with kenatsu, and, like Tenseiga, can perform Sōryūha; however, being "only an oni's fang", Tōkijin initially could not withstand repeated uses of Sōryūha the way that Tenseiga could. But later, in the 4th InuYasha movie, Tōkijin seemed capable of being a conduit for the attack with no ensuing refractory period. Later in the manga, Sesshōmaru broke Tōkijin while battling Mōryōmaru, and afterwards abandoned the broken pieces with no further interest in keeping the sword. He instead searched for a replacement, which he found in the Meidō Zangetsuha ability of the Tenseiga. Bakusaiga '''Bakusaiga was Sesshōmaru's signature weapon once he acquired it. The Bakusaiga manifested itself in the hand of Sesshōmaru's fully regenerated, and longtime-severed, left arm during his battle with Magatsuhi. The sword is the polar opposite of the Tenseiga, as it has an immensely strong power with the ability to eradicate and decompose any organic material that its blade comes in contact with, nullifying any regenerative capabilities while doing so. Miroku comments that Naraku would suffer the same affliction should he absorb any demons wounded by Bakusaiga. . The blade itself is the manifestation of Sesshōmaru's own true demonic powers and abilities, born from his detachment of Inuyasha's Tessaiga. Its birth signifies Sesshōmaru's graduation into a full-fledged dog demon, which was long compromised by his obsession with Tessaiga. Totosai comments that his ability to manifest his own blade suggests his strength and power has far surpassed that of his father's and connotes his growth through the many trials he endured to emerge as a daiyōkai, with the Bakusaiga serving as the product of this 'rite of passage'. Much like the Tessaiga's Wind Scar attack, the Bakusaiga can also unleash massively strong and powerful amounts of yōki, enough to slay thousands of demons with one swing. Though similar, Rumiko stated that Bakusaiga's demonic wave attack, which is similar to the Wind Scar, possesses much greater strength and power than a full power blast from the Backlash Wave attack from Tessaiga. Nintōjo The Nintōjo was a staff that could locate his father's grave or perhaps Tessaiga itself. It can produce long streams of flame, and generate large floods of water. The staff is usually held by his assistant Jaken. Also, it has been shown that the Staff of Two Heads can be used to summon yōkai. It features an old man's and a woman's head. They can speak when the staff is used. When attempting to find his father's grave, if the woman cried, that meant he had to keep searching. If the old man laughed, that meant he had found the grave. Relationships Family ;Inuyasha Aside from the fact that Sesshōmaru loathed humans and half-demons, Sesshōmaru despised Inuyasha not only because he wields the Tessaiga, is a half-demon and his half-brother, but also because he couldn't stand the fact that his father's demon blood courses through his veins. Although he'll never admit it, he begins to grow and start to care for Inuyasha over time. While Sesshōmaru continues to make rude comments to Inuyasha, their relationship eventually improves, and they appear to look out for each other in battle, as shown when they join forces to battle against Naraku. ;Inu no Taishō His relationship with his father is distant and estranged due to the fact that his father had left his wife (Sesshōmaru's mother) and fallen in love with a mortal woman named Izayoi; who became the mother of his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. In Inuyasha: Movie 3, Sesshōmaru only seems to want to gain power, something his father finds disappointing. Inu no Taishō asks him if he has someone to protect. Sesshōmaru knew this was his father's final test for him. He answer's "no", finding the idea of protecting someone ridiculous. It seemed at that moment, he was ready to slay his father for not entrusting Tessaiga and Sō'unga to him. At the beginning of the series, Sesshōmaru despised humans and considered them as weak and useless. 200 years later, he would realize that his father's words would echo, because he did have someone to protect: his companions Rin and Jaken (and at times, his younger brother Inuyasha). During his battle against the Sō'unga with Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru is able to release an immense amount of power that along with his brother's attack aids in the destruction of the sword after recalling the numerous times he had protected Rin and Jaken, though he verbally exclaims that he protects no one. ;Sesshōmaru's mother Only shown for a small amount of time, Sesshōmaru's mother's name is never stated. She is a full-youkai who is devilishly similar to her son - the moon upon their forehead, their attitudes, and how they despise humans. When Sesshōmaru went to visit her, it was to make his power of Meidō Zangetsuha stronger and more mature. She knew he would come to do this seeing he was finally able to unlock the new power, thus stating that in order to do so, the power was to be exchanged with Rin's life. Her attitude changes from generous to irritated when Sesshōmaru ignores her offer to bring him before before he was able to save Rin, making it seem she didn't care about him anymore. Even though she ignores the fact that Rin's a human, she still has motherly feelings toward Sesshōmaru. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother resurrected Rin with the Meidou Stone. When Rin is revived, Jaken says she's an honorable mother for doing so. She asks Jaken if he's happy this way, and he says it's most likely extemely so. She later states, "All this fuss over one human girl... He's becoming like his father in the strangest ways," referring to his father's kindness to humans. Traveling companions ;Jaken Sesshōmaru encountered Jaken when he was passing through a distant land. A large demon was wreaking havoc amongst Jaken and other demons resembling him when Sesshōmaru killed the demon with his mere claws. Despite Jaken's display of immense gratitude, Sesshōmaru claimed he was only passing through. Sesshōmaru walked to a nearby waterfall and pulled out the Staff of Two Heads. He told Jaken that if he was able to wield the weapon, he may follow him. Jaken deeply respects and always praises Sesshōmaru, much to Sesshōmaru's annoyance. At times, he gets too carried away and winds up insulting Sesshōmaru, which usually leads to a couple bumps on the head. Jaken is condescending to all but Sesshōmaru. When Jaken belittles Rin, Sesshōmaru will usually yell at him and tell him to knock it off. Because Jaken is (reluctantly) aware of Sesshōmaru's compassion toward Rin, he knows that he, too, must responsibly protect her or else face the wrath of his master. ;Rin Rin is a young orphan who becomes the traveling companion of Sesshōmaru and Jaken. When Sesshōmaru was injured by the Wind Scar after trying to steal the Tessaiga again from Inuysaha, Rin bravely attempted to care for him as he lay near a tree, bringing him water and food. Sesshōmaru initially rejected her kindness, telling her generosity was a waste, as he does not eat human food. She continues to bring him things and he is caught off guard by her smile. After letting his wolf pack hunt, Kōga's wolves killed Rin. Sesshōmaru, recognizing the scent of Rin's blood, stumbled upon her dead body in the forest and decided to resurrect her with the Tenseiga as a "test." To his surprise, her heart began to beat again and she is revived. From that day forward, she would be by Sesshōmaru's side along with Jaken and a two-headed dragon demon known as Ah-Un. Throughout the series, Rin's warmness and kindness play a significant role on Sesshōmaru. His growing compassion for her allows him to advance in battle. He constantly rescues her and looks out for her despite claiming he did not care for her. In The Final Act, Sesshōmaru wished to improve his Meidou Zangetsuha technique but it unfortunately came at the cost of Rin's life. He finally felt sorrow from the loss of his beloved companion. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother ressurected Rin with the Meidou Stone. Following Naraku's defeat and after some input by Kaede, Sesshōmaru agrees that Rin needs to reside in a village to get used to living with humans once again and where she is safe from potiential harm. When the time comes, Rin will decide whether to stay in the village or go with Sesshomaru. He continues to pay her regular visits often bringing presents with him hinting that he actually cares for her. She is last seen receiving a kimono from him. ;Kohaku Naraku abducted Rin by using Kagura and had Kohaku serve as her guard. After seriously injured by Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha at his castle, Naraku had fled and ordered Kohaku to kill Rin. Mind-controlled, Kohaku was ready to kill Rin but Sesshōmaru arrived at the scene, deciding not to kill Kohaku, knowing that was what Naraku wanted him to do and he does not play by Naraku's rules. After Kikyo died, Kohaku decided to follow Sesshōmaru, who didn't seem to be against the idea also protects him too. Kohaku forms a great friendship with Rin and protects her in times of trouble. In his battle with Magatsuhi, Kohaku attempts to protect Sesshōmaru. Eventually, Kohaku would part with Sesshōmaru and remain with his sister, Sango, and the rest of Inuyasha's gang prior to the battle with Naraku, where he would then leave with Jaken and Shippo to fight. Enemies Naraku Naraku has been seen a few times throughout the series trying to use Sesshomaru to kill Inuyasha for him. The first time was when Naraku offered Sesshomaru the human arm with the shard of the shikon jewel in it, along with the hive of poisoness insects that would block Miroku's wind tunnel. After Sesshomaru disposed of the sacred jewel shard he confronted Naraku. And at the end of the confrontation Naraku spoke of how he might call on Sesshomaru again if a chance shall arise to kill Inuyasha. This of course hurt Sesshomaru's pride, beind used by a half demon like Naraku. But Naraku and Sesshomaru become real enemies when Naraku orders his incarnation Kagura to abduct Rin. He then tells Sesshomaru that if he heeds his request he shall return Rin in good health. This of course insults Sesshomaru's pride even further. Sesshomaru rips off the head of the demon puppet and heads towards Naraku's castle. Naraku and Sesshomaru start to fight at the castle and Naraku attempts to absorb Sesshomaru into his body. But his attempt is thwarted by Inuyasha who breaks Sesshomaru free. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru then severly injure Naraku and he gets away by using Kohaku and telling Kohaku to kill Rin. Sesshomaru then rescues Rin and begins to pursue Naraku to get back at him for not only insulting his pride but abducting Rin as well. Then Sesshomaru tracks Naraku all the way to mount Hakurei where they meet moments after Kikyo falls into the river of miasma. Naraku tests his power against Sesshomaru and retreats. Sesshomaru then keeps learning more and more about Naraku's heart. He almost destroys Naraku's heart which was hidden inside the infant that was left with Kanna. But Kanna escapes with the infant. The infant then creates itself a shield using parts of different demons and humans. The infants shield is named Moryomaru. Sesshomaru then obtains Bakusaiga which allows him to help Inuyasha and the others destroy Naraku. ;Kagura At first, Sesshōmaru appeared to be annoyed with Kagura's constant appearances because he felt as though he had no obligation to be "used" to fight Naraku so that she could be free. Eventually, her visits would be useful as she provided him with information on Naraku's whereabouts. After getting injured by Goryomaru's light cannons, she falls into a river near Sesshōmaru. Initially, he rejects Jaken and Rin's proposal of helping her but after both of his companions fall into the water in an attempt to save her, he saves all three of them. It is hinted that Kagura had romantic feelings for Sesshōmaru, as she landed in the spot that she did to see him "one last time before she died." When fighting against Moryomaru, both he and Sesshōmaru pick up on the scent of Kagura's blood. Moryomaru laughs and jokes about how Kagura will have died in vain. This notion angers Sesshōmaru and gives him the energy to break free from Moryomaru's grasp. After Moryomaru flees, Sesshōmaru finds Kagura, who is slowly dying in a field of flowers as a result of Naraku's miasma. Feeling as though it is too good to be true, Kagura asks Sesshōmaru if he thought he would find Naraku there but Sesshōmaru responds that he knew it was Kagura. After hearing this, Kagura was able to die in peace, knowing that in that instant, Sesshōmaru had cared about her well-being. While it is unknown as to whether or not Kagura's feelings for him were unrequited, Sesshōmaru's concern for her after smelling her blood in battle with Moryomaru triggered his Tenseiga to become ready to be forged into a weapon. Tōtōsai explains that something in Sesshōmaru's heart had changed as he felt the sorrow and anger of losing someone. After learning the Meidō Zangetsuha for the first time, a breeze blows and Sesshōmaru closes his eyes and decides that he, Sesshōmaru, will decide whether or not Kagura died in vain. Other ;Kagome Higurashi Because of her affiliation with Inuyasha, and his hatred for all humans in general, Kagome is generally disliked by Sesshōmaru. While he doesn't grow to like her, eventually throughout the series, he looks out for her; protecting her from enemies, such as Mukotsu and Naraku. Three years after Naraku's defeat, Kagome became his sister-in-law, though he finds the idea somewhat annoying, as seen by his glare when she shouts out "brother-in-law" to him on his way back from visiting Rin. ;Sara Asano After having his left arm severed by Inuyasha as a result of his attempt to claim the Tessaiga for his own, Sesshōmaru sought a place to recover and passed through the Asano Castle (a two episode anime special). The Asano Clan happened to be on the brink of losing to an enemy, however, Sesshōmaru easily cut though the enemy lines with this claws on his way to find refuge. Princess Sara fell in love with Sesshōmaru at first sight when their eyes met as she saw him defeat her clan's enemies. As he rested, Sara hid behind trees and gazed at Sesshōmaru, often listening to his unconscious mutterings about wanting the Tessaiga. Later on, Sara became terminally ill and spent her final days in a convent with nuns after the Asano Castle was burnt down by her own father, who was driven insane after witnessing Sesshomaru's strength. Like Onigumo, in Sara's final moments, she was visited by demons who explained to her that if she gave them her body, they would help her destroy Inuyasha, whom she had heard outside and recalled Sesshōmaru's previous words about wanting the Tessaiga. She gave into the demons and asked Sesshōmaru that if she were to fulfill his wish, that he would acknowledge her feelings for him. Sesshōmaru told her to do as she pleased. After presenting a stolen Tessaiga to Sesshōmaru, he rejected the stolen sword and revealed that he had no interest in such a thing. The demons then took over Sara's body and aimed to kill Sesshōmaru. Showing compassion, Sesshōmaru destroyed the demons within Sara, allowing her soul to be saved. He placed her flute in her ashes and told her to continue playing her flute in the netherworld. ;Kikyō There is barely any interaction between Kikyō and Sesshōmaru, however in Affections Touching Across Time, they briefly encounter and Sesshōmaru asks her if she loathes Kagome or if she is "testing her". Kikyō responds that she despises all things and living creatures bound to time. Sesshōmaru tells her to do as she sees fit but states that he will be the one to kill Inuyasha. On Mount Hakurei, Kikyō shoots an arrow into the evil form of Suikotsu, saving both his good side and Rin. ;Sango There was barely any interaction between the Dog Demon Lord and the demon slayer, however in episode 20 (FA), Sango was the one to inform Sesshomaru that Rin was unconscious because of Magatsuhi's poison making him hurry back to Rin's side. Then in episode 23 (FA) during the final battle with Naraku he becomes very angry with her after overhearing how she was willing to kill Rin in order to defeat Naraku and save Miroku in the process. She begs him to wait to kill her until after Naraku has been defeated. It seems that Sesshomaru was indeed going to tear her apart after the fight, but decided to spare her life after seeing her give Rin her gas mask to protect her from the poison and apologizing to her. ;Koga It was Kōga's wolves that killed Rin, Sesshōmaru's traveling companion who he brought back to life. There was barely any interaction between Sesshōmaru and Koga until episode 99, during which they almost fought when Koga stated that he smelt like his brother, Inuyasha. This made Sesshōmaru mad and, if it hadn't been for the two demons that were about to attack their friends, they would have fought each other. However, upon defeating the two demons, they gained a mutual understanding (it has been stated that the one thing they have in common is that neither of them can stand Inuyasha). Manga vs. Anime The stripes on Sesshōmaru's wrists are only in the Anime. The energy whip of light was only exclusive in the Anime Quotes *"All that for a memory and a dead mortal girl? If I'd have known that's what it would take for you to fight, I would have killed her sooner." *"Big words, for such small vermin." *"You fool! Don't think you could ever escape my grasp!" *"What are you smiling about? I simply asked a question. I don't care, I'm just curious." *"Do you dare imply that this useless sword is worthy of me?" *"You should be honored. You're about to be destroyed with my Father's fang." *"Whats the matter Inuyasha, have you altered your battle strategy? Usually you blindly rush towards me with great haste." *"I couldn't save her? Tenseiga. I let you die for this thing. Nothing is worth the cost of Rin's life!" *"I have never considered that half-demon my brother!" *"The time has come. Die." *"The scent of the wind has changed..." *"Your primitive concoctions are no match for my superior powers." *"Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours is not something I inherited from our great and terrible father." *"I walk the path of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me." *"You were born ignorant, and you live as a miserable half-demon." *"Give me the Tessaiga and die!" *"You haven't even released the full power of the Tessaiga. Watch as I, Sesshomaru, destroy 100 demons with one sweep." *"And you call yourself a god? Ridiculous." *"She was smiling." (On Kagura's death, to Inuyasha) Trivia * The kanji of "Sesshō" means "killing or destruction.". The suffix "Maru" is usually a suffix that is often added at the end of a Japanese name for young males in samurai families. They would use this name until they were recognized as adults, whereupon they would adopt a new name. However, it is said that "maru" can also translate as the word for "circle or perfection", which is a common Japanese motif for what in the West is called "the circle of life." It is revealed in one of Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha Guides that his name means "killing perfection," which best describes his usual personality. * He makes an appearance as a concept art in the front pages of Chapter 9, before he was introduced as a character. * Sesshōmaru started out as an antagonist, but as the series progressed he became a protagonist and became one of the most important key players in beating Naraku (his Tenseiga being the only thing to be able to kill Magatsuhi and his Bakusaiga for preventing Naraku from regenerating his body). *Throughout his life, he has only saved four humans, including Kagome and Rin. *Sesshōmaru was seen to have an unnamed ability. As shown in the second ending, he was seen flying on a red streak and the fur on his shoulder was also red. This ability was never seen in the series or manga. *Sesshōmaru's appearance changes as the story progresses. Comparing his first appearance in Chapter 13 with the last in Chapter 558, he appears very young in the beginning, but by the end, looks more mature; the armor and clothes he wears changes slightly overall compared in Chapter 13, page 5 with chapter 468, page 1) *Early in the manga he was appearing smiling a lot. But as the manga goes on, he hides his emotions and rarely smiles, becoming more like his character is portrayed in the anime. * The pattern on Sesshōmaru's kimono is based upon an actual crest of a samurai clan known as the Azai. Their most famous member, Azai Nagamasa, was married to Oda Nobunaga's sister Oichi a while before he was killed by his brother-in-law. * In The Holy Pearl, a Chinese live action loosely based off of 'InuYasha'', Sesshōmaru is paralleled by a character named Dao'' * In the Inuyasha profiles book the title states Beautifully chilling. The strongest demon in the Warring States era about Sesshōmaru. * In epiosde 163 Jaken stated that Sesshomaru is going to establish his own empire but it would take a very long time for even someone great as him. * It's interesting to note that while both of Sesshomaru's parents each have a single blue/magneta stripe on either cheek, Sesshōmaru has two magenta stripes on either of his cheeks. It could be theorized that these traits come from a biological grandparent. * In the Manga version, Sesshomaru's cheek stripes appear more jagged like his father's than they do in the anime. * In the manga and anime a lot of people said Sesshōmaru is a very attractive man. References ca:Sesshomaru es:Sesshomaru zh:杀生丸 vi:Sesshomaru ja:殺生丸 Category:Characters Category:Daiyōkai Category:Sengoku Characters Category:Swordsmen Category:Male